Celebrity news from Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith

Tim Allen Disappointed by Disney ‘Wild Hogs 2’ Decision

Tim Allen tells us he was all geared up to start filming “Wild Hogs 2” in a few weeks and he’s disappointed by Disney’s decision to put the movie on hold.

“This is Hollywood; we don’t know why they put it on hold. Disney is going through a top management reshuffle. They’ve reshuffled seven of their big movies. You’ll have to ask Disney because none of us know why,” he says. “We were supposed to start June 1. The crew and the rest of us were ready to go so everybody was very disappointed. I think Disney has their own reasons and I try to stay out of that. The economy may be a part of it. You just think, ‘Boy, what’s that about?’”

For now, Allen can be seen hosting the TV Land Awards airing Sunday (4/25). The fun show honors the casts of “Glee,” “The Love Boat,” Charlie’s Angels” (including a special tribute to Farrah Fawcett), “Everybody Loves Raymond” (complete with Brad Garrett cracking jokes about his buddy and former boss, Ray Romano), and “Bosom Buddies,” featuring the reunion of Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari. Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner, Betty White and Billy Crystal are among the stars who grace the show as well.

“It’s not something I would normally do, but I really dug it. I was nervous because I wasn’t sure if I could do this,” admits Allen. “It’s a tough group. The audience is there to get awards. They’re not really there to laugh so I had to work that audience. They weren’t giving it up easy. You had great comedians up there like Bob Newhart sort of going like, ‘What?’” Luckily Allen was able to win the crowd over in other ways. “I love big openings and it’s a big opening.”

In true TV Land fashion, the show ends on a big note as well. “It has a very emotional ending. They did a ‘Glee’ sendup with television stars who have great voices” – including Joyce DeWitt, Jimmie Walker, Marion Ross, Marilu Henner, David Hasselhoff, Shirley Jones and more. However, in the process, we happened to find the one person in America who’s not familiar with the hit Fox show. “I do not watch ‘Glee.’ I made a joke there where I said, ‘I wish I could say I’m a big fan of ‘Glee.’’ The glee club was not something I was in any way involved with. It just wasn’t my gig. I was more of a shop guy.” Boy did that pay off!

Helena Mattsson

GETTING TO KNOW YOU: Gorgeous Swedish actress Helena Mattsson seems to be taking her “Desperate Housewives” murder this week at the hands of serial killer Eddie (Josh Zuckerman) in stride. “When I learned about it, I thought it was going to be really cool because it was so unexpected. I was excited to shoot it,” says Mattsson, who played Felicity Huffman’s gold-digging wannabe daughter-in-law, Irina. Mattsson says she had a blast on the campy serial, “one of the few shows I actually followed from the beginning. It was surreal to join this series where I felt like I knew everybody by their characters already.”

The Stockholm-born 26-year-old blond beauty came to L.A. at age 19, having been singled out in London casting sessions as a contender for a Warner Bros. pilot – and she stayed. “I was all alone when I came here. I had a backpack and that was pretty much it. I didn’t speak English and I didn’t drive, so I took the bus. It was pretty rough. I’ve learned a lot since” – including how to speak English with an American accent. Mattson, who has racked up credits in episodic TV shows and movies like “Surrogates,” adds, “My passion has been driving me.”

She’s just finished an independent film, “Audrey,” and is doing voice work on a 3D animated film based on a Scandinavian fairy tale at Warner Bros. And next, she’ll be seen in Robert Downey, Jr.’s summer biggie, “Iron Man 2” – which does take the sting out of that “Desperate Housewives” strangulation thing.

NEW TALENT TIME: Robert Rodriguez has a tough act to follow – his own – as he prepares to shoot “Spy Kids 4: Armageddon” with new kids in the title roles, now that Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara are no longer kids. We hear that for this “reboot” of the popular and ingenious film series, he’s been seeing girls and boys to play 10-year-old twins, a brother and sister who are very competitive.

And casting is underway for DreamWorks’ modernized remake of “Fright Night,” with principal characters Charley, Amy and Evil Ed still to be filled. They’re going for teens up to 21 years of age for this one. The actors in the original were a little older, playing teens.

About Stacy Jenel Smith

Started by acclaimed columnist Marilyn Beck in the 1960s, Beck/Smith Hollywood Exclusive is the longest-running syndicated Hollywood column today. Since Beck's death in 2014, it has been written by her long-time writing partner, Stacy Jenel Smith

Please give us a Wild Hogs 2…..I don’t collect movies but this is a classic that my family watches over and over again….we even went as far as all buying motorcycles…..good movie and would definitely buy the second!!!

I liked wild hogs. Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawerence and William H. Macy were a great cast for the movie. Thats what I liked about the movie. I say the disney studio should change their minds and make wild hogs 2. I personally didn’t like these past few movies disney has been making and playing. Only the animated movies were great especially Toy Story. Tim Allen is a funny actor.He was funny in wild hogs. Him, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, and William H. Macy are my number 1 favorite actors. I liked wild hogs because it was the first movie about bikers on their own adventure. Please, whoever is in charge of the disney studio now, make wild hogs 2. Talk about it, what will you all think? You all personally. Did any of you, producers, directors or staff that helped make wild hogs, like the movie? If you make wild hogs 2, then show it in the theaters, it will determine whether or not the movie should be sold in the stores. I want Wild Hogs 2. Please, Please, Please. Everyone deserves a second chance. Especially with movies. If the first time, a director, producer, or whoevers in charge, said’s no with making a movie,or plans for making it saids no, its cancelled, that shouldn’t happen. Someone else should give the movie a second chance. Make the crew want to make the movie. If a person who works in that studio, wanted the movie made, should force the boss, to make wild hogs 2. Please I’m begging you, the disney studio, make the movie. Marvel movies are great, but those types of movies shouldn’t be the only ones out and shown in theaters. There should be more disney movies, just like in the 90’s like Jungle 2 Jungle with Tim Allen. That movie was funny. George of the Jungle. Those types of movies, Disney Studio should continue making. Same like Wild Hogs. I watch wild hogs everytime its on tv. Even if that means the movie won’t be out in another 2 or 3 years, the movie should still be made. Please, if the disney studio gets my comment, read it, think about it. Like I said before, think to yourselves, did you personally like the first wild hogs movie? Would I like another one to be produced? I would. Tim Allen and the other three actors were very funny in that movie, being bikers on their own adventure. Exploring the world, something new. Wild Hogs 2: A Bachelor Ride should be produced.